Gerth's raise near total for support assistant

CSUS President Donald Gerth was awarded a $20,100 raise by the California State University Trustees at the Sept. 15 meeting.

The raise is the second of three increases that CSU presidents will be receiving after the trustees voted last year to bring the salary level of campus presidents to that of comparable schools. Gerth's salary is now $187,536.

He also received an increase in his housing allowance, bringing it to $25,008. He will also have the option of receiving $750 per month in lieu of a university vehicle.

A study commissioned by the CSU system found that its campus presidents received 23 percent less than the 20 private and public universities surveyed.

Ken Swisher, of the CSU public information office, said the raises are based completely on merit. Fundraising, the size and complexity of the campus, performance evaluations, the university's place in the market, length of employment, cost of living differentials and administrative effectiveness are all taken into consideration, he said.

According to the human resources Web site for the CSU system, other CSU employment is not as lucrative.

The starting pay for an administrative support assistant is $20,976. A lecturer can expect to receive a salary starting in the mid-$20,000 range, with the opportunity to increase up to $80,000. A library assistant starts at $25,692.